Construction of condensers and the like



Feb. 22, 1944. HERON 2,342,398

CONSTRUCTION OF CONDENSERS AND'THE LIKE Filed Jan. 26, 1943 v lm'emdr H. D- Heron Patented Feb. 22, 1944 CONSTRUCTION OF CONDENSERS AND THE LIKE Hugh D. Heron, Outremont, Quebec, Canada Application January 26, 1943, Serial No. 473,656 In Canada February 6, 1942 11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of condensers and the like, especially marine condensers, and relates more particular y to the connection between condenser tubes and tube plates.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a condenser in which the connection between tubes and tube plates will remain tight andleak-proof even when subjected to vibration and shocks. A further object is to provide a condenser plate and tube connection which may be inexpensively produced and quickly and easily installed. A still further object is to provide a connection of the type described which may be easily tightened if leaks should develop and which will permit of easy replacement of tubes. Another object is to :provide a condenser plate and tube connection which will be self-sealing and will operate automatically to. stop leaking if such should commence. Still another object is to obviate the use of threaded gland nuts or ferrules, such as are now generally used to connect condenser tubes and plates. An additional object is to provide a condenser tube and plate connection so formed that it eliminates, as far as possible, turbulence of fluid at the surface of the tube plates. A further additional object is to provide a construction permitting use of iron or steel condenser plates instead of bronze plates. Various other objects and the advantages of the invention may be ascertained from the following description.

The invention consists essentially in forming the tube plates with apertures large enough for easy passage of the tubes, which apertures are enlarged, from the outer surface of the plate in-.

wardly through a suliicient portion of the plate thickness, so as to form an annular space around the outer end of each tube; the circumferential wall of the enlarged portion being undercut in any suitable manner, preferably a straight taper, to retain packing material impacted into the annular space and tightly engaging the outer wall of the tube and the inner surface of the aperture enlargement.

In greater detail the invention consists in the features and combinations of features herein disclosed together with all such modifications thereof and substitutions of equivalents therefor as are Within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, which illustrate that embodiment of the invention now preferred, but to the details of which the invention is not limited:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a tube plate showing a number of tubes connected thereto according to the invention.

Fig. 2' is a. sectional view on an enlarged scale at the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. r

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I I designates a tube plate and I2 a, series of tubes connected thereto. The plate is provided with a series of apertures for passage of the tubes therethrough, the inner end portion I3 of each aperture being only sufliciently larger than the contained tube to permit easy passage of the tube without binding on the aperture wall. The main portion I4 of each aperture is considerably larger in diameter than the tube and the enlargement extends from the outer surface of the plate inwardly through a suitable portion of the thick ness of the p p y through the greater portion thereof. The circumferential wall of the enlarged aperture portion is undercut in any suitable ,wayso as to render the intermediate portion of the aperture larger. in diameter than the outer end thereof, thus providing an outer packing-retaining shoulder facing the inner shoulder I 6 at the junction of the normal and theenlarged portions of the aperture. The undercut formation of the wall I5 may be of any form desired but preferably takesthe form of a slight taper through the whole or any desired portion of the depth of the enlarged portion of the aperture, the tapered surface constituting the aforesaid outer shoulder. The outer shoulder may be formed otherwise than as illustrated and the number of such shoulders in each aperture may be as desired.

The circumferential walls of the apertures, in combination with the outer surfaces of the tubes passing therethrough, constitute annular packing spaces which, according to this invention, are filled with a, combination of any suitable com posite metallic and fibrous packing. Preferably, the metallic packing used, designated I I, is composed of soft or plastic metal, such as lead containing a small percentage of tin, and is in the form of thin sheets or threads, such as the well known lead wool or lead yarn, which may be readily inserted in the annular spaces and compaoted by means of a caulking tool. The fibrous portion of the packing is-preferably in the form of water-swellable fibre rings which hit ti htly around the. tube.

The preferred method installing the packing is to insert a suitable amount of the metallic packing into the annular space and then condense or compact it against the inner shoulder I6 so as tolconstitute'a layer or ring I B. A fibre ring is is then inserted and followed by further metallic packing which is compacted to form the ring 23. These operations are repeated as often as desired, or as the depth of the aperture permits, producing alternated layers or rings of metallic packing and fibre packing, the last or outermost of which is preferably a fibre ring, designated 2i.. In process of seating the inner fibre rings, such as l9, and compacting the metallic material located outwardly thereof, the metallic packing flows into the annular space 22 be,- tween the outer surface of the fibre ring and the inner surface l5 of the aperture so that whenthe packing is properly inserted, the annular space around the tube end is filled with a dense: mass which is held against movement in the axial direction of the tube by reason of its engagement with the inner shoulder I 6 and whatever form of facing shoulder is constituted by the surface l5.

The outermost fibre ring 2|, when exposed to water, swells and completely fills the clearance around it (which is exaggerated in size as shown in the drawing) and presses against the tapered wall it; which causes it to thrust inwardly against the packing under it with retaining and sealing effect. A joint formed as described will remain fluid-tight when subjected to vibration or shocks such as would cause leaking of joints formed inv the usual manner. If a leak should occur, the fibre ring or rings, such as 19, emb dded in the metallic packing are swelled by the water leaking through and serve to. close. the space through which the leak occurred and at the same time serve to press against the metallic packing with tendency to close any voids therein through which leaking may occur; It will be understood the fibre rings referred to are composed of highly compressed fibre andexert great pressure when swelled by water;v If leaking is notstopped by swelling of the fibre rings, it is a simple matter to caulk the joint a little tighter. sary to replace a tube, this may be done easily by cutting or picking out the packing, which may be accomplished more easily from the comparatively smooth walled aperture than from the customary internally threaded aperture.

It will be noted the outer end of the tube is flush with. the outer surface of the plate so that there are no projections beyond the surface of the plate, such as are formed by the usual ferrules, to cause turbulence .of fluid at the ends of the tubes.

Tube and plate connections according to this invention are more easily and quickly constructed than those now in general use, through avoiding tapping operations and the provision and insertion of threaded ferrules, Moreover, connections formed according to the invention have the advantage of permitting use ofv a thinner tube plate than formerly, thus saving considerable material and weight, which is especially important in the case of marine condensers wherein the plates are made of bronze A further and very great advantage is that by avoiding use of threaded ferrules and threads in the tube plate, whichwould rust if the plate were of iron or steel, it becomes possible to use iron or steel plates instead of bronze.

The packing does not interfere with the slight longitudinal movements of the tubes in the plates due to expansion and contraction and is not loosened by such movement.

Condensers constructed accordin to. this invention have been found to be much less sus- I t i nece than condensers of conventional construction, which is of great importance, especially in time of war, as it minimizes the amount of salt water entering the boilers, thereby keeping down the water density and tendency to foaming and avoiding the necessity of shutting down the boilers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In the construction of condensers and the like, a tube plate apertured for passage of a tube, a tube passing through the plate aperture, said aperture being substantially larger than the tube through a portion of the thickness of the plate and having its circumferential wall smooth and undercut to form a sloping shoulder between the inner and outer ends of said larger portion adapted to retain packing in the annular space formed between said circumferential wall and the tube, and composite metallic packing compacted in said annular space and including an outer water-swellable portion engaging said shoulder.

Z. In the construction of condensers and the like, a tube plate apertured for the passage of a tube and a tube passing through said aperture, the inner portion of said aperture being only large enough to afford free passage for the tube, and the outer portion of said aperture being materially larger than the inner portion and providing an annular space around the outer end of the tube, a substantially flat shoulder at the junction of the inner and outer portions of the aperture, the circumferential wall of the. larger portion of said aperture being smooth and tapered to provide a second shoulder facing said first shoulder thereby to retain packing in the annular space and prevent same moving outwardly in the axial direction of the tube, and packing, in said annular space between said. shoulders comprising alternate layers of plastic metallic packing and water-swellable fibrous p kif gl 3. In the construction of condensers and the ceptible to leaking like, a tube plate apertured for passage of a tube and a tube passing through said aperture, the outer end portionof the aperture being enlarged to pro-ride an annular space around the end porticn of the tube, the circumferential Wall of the enlarged aperture portion being smooth and tapered from its inner end substantially to the outer surface of the plate, and a composite metallic and water-swellable fibre packing compact.- ed in said annular space.

l. in the construction of condensers and the like, a tube plate apertured. for passage of a tube and a tube passing through the. plate aperture, the end of said tube being flush with the outer surface of the plate, the inner portion of said plate aperture being of a size only sufiicient to afford free passage to the tube and the outer portion of the aperture being enlarged and having the circumferential wall thereof slightly ta pered toward the outer surface of the plate, a shoulder at the junction. of the inner and outer aperture portions,. and a composite packing compacted in the outer aperture portion against said shoulder and fitting tightly between the circumferential Wall of the aperture and the outer surface of the tube said packing including a plastic metallic portion and a water-swellable fibrous portion engaging said tapered surface with inward thrusting efiect.

5. In the construction of condensers and the like, a tube plate apertured for the passage of a tube and a tube passing through the plate aperture, said aperture being enlarged in its outer portion to form an annular packing space around the end portion of the tube, the circumferential wall of said enlarged portion of the aperture being smooth and tapered from end to end toward the outer surface of the plate whereby the aperture wall is undercut and forms a sloping shoulder adapted to retain packing in the annular packing space, and packing in said annular space comprising portions of plastic metal and of water-swellable fibre, the said packing being compacted in situ to form a fluid-tight joint between the tube and the plate said fibre portion being disposed, upon swelling, to thrust the metallic portion against the sloping shoulder.

6. In the construction of condensers and the like, a tube plate apertured for passage of a tube and a tube passing through said aperture, said aperture having an inner portion of substantially the diameter of the tube and an outer portion of larger diameter, a shoulder at the junction of said portions, the circumferential wall of said larger aperture portion being tapered in its outer portion toward the outer surface of the plate, and a packing in said larger portion consisting of an inner portion of plastic metallic material and an outer portion of compressed Water-swellable fibrous material adapted to swell against said tapered wall portion with packing retaining and compressing efiect.

'7. In the construction of condensers and the like, a tube plate having a tube aperture therein, and a tube passing through the aperture, said aperture being enlarged from th outer surface of the plate inwards partly through the plate and a packing in the enlarged portion of the aperture consisting of plastic metallic material and water-swellable compressed fibrous material the latter being disposed to expand radially against the tube and against the metallic material.

8. In the construction or condensers and the like, a tube plate apertured for passage of a tube, a tube passing through the plate aperture, said aperture being substantially larger than the tube through a portion of the thickness of the plate and having its circumferential wall smooth and undercut to form a sloping shoulder between the inner and outer ends of said larger portion adapted to retain packing in the annular space formed between said circumferential wall and the tube, and composite packing compacted in said annular space comprising a plastic metallic portion engaging said sloping shoulder and the tube, and at least one annulus of water-swellable fibre embedded in said metallic portion and interposed between a part of the metallic portion and the tube.

9. Structure according to claim 8 including a further water-swellable fibre portion expansible between said sloping shoulder and the tube with inward thrusting efiect on the metallic portion.

10. Structure according to claim 1 characterized in that the packing has a mainly metallic bearing against said sloping shouider and a mainly fibre bearing against said tube.

11. In marine condensers, a tube plate apertureol for passage of a tube and a tube passing through the plate aperture, said aperture being substantially larger than the tube through a portion of the thickness of the plate and having its circumferential wall smooth and undercut to form a sloping shoulder between the inner and outer ends of said larger portion adapted to retain packing in the annular space formed between said circumferential wall and the tube and composite packing compacted in the annular space, being the sole tube retaining means and permitting movement of the tube therethrough, said packing including a plastic metallic portion establishing metal-to-metal connection between the tube and plate and a water-swellable fibrous portion cooperating with said shoulder to retain the metal portion in position.

HUGH D. HERON. 

